1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording medium reproduction apparatus for removing images formed on such an image recording medium as coating paper and the like and reproducing the image recording medium for reuse and an image recording medium reproducing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is desired that image recording medium with images formed thereon by such image forming apparatus as printers, copying machines or facsimile, etc. are reused for effective utilization of resources after finishing a function as an information recording medium. Therefore, a reproduction apparatus was so far developed to reproduce paper having a toner image formed on the surface by making the toner image wet using surface active agent, heating and removing toner from the paper by attaching it on an offset belt surface as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 7-92866.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional reproduction apparatus, a toner image formed on the surface of a recording medium is attached on an offset belt and separated. Accordingly, depending on kind of toner/paper, etc., a toner image may remain on the surface of a recording medium after removed on the offset belt and the recording medium may become unsuitable for reuse. In particular, in the case of OHP sheets made of plastic film, plastic coated paper to prevent penetration of toner/ink into the inside of paper, adherence of toner/ink to paper is strong depending on toner/ink and images cannot be removed from the surface of paper.
From the above, in the case of plastic film coated paper for preventing toner/ink from penetrating into the sheet, it is demanded to reuse paper by clearly removing image formed thereon after completing the function as an information recording medium for the effective use of resources and it is desired to obtain a highly reliable image recording medium reproduction apparatus that is capable of surely removing images on the surfaces of recording media.
An object of the present invention is to enable reuse of image recording medium irrespective of material of toner/ink by removing images formed on image recording medium clearly against the adhesion to the surfaces of image recording medium to achieve the effective use of resources.
According to the embodiments of the present invention, a recording medium reproduction apparatus is provided. This apparatus comprises: a conveying member to convey an image recording medium made of a material to prevent an image from penetrating into the inside having an image formed on the surface in the prescribed direction and an image separation member that contacts an image recording medium being conveyed on the conveying member, rotates in the same direction as the prescribed conveying direction at the contacting position by maintaining a speed difference with an image recording medium and scrapes off an image formed on the surface of an image recording medium.
Further, according to the embodiments of the present invention, an image recording medium reproduction method is provided. This image recording medium reproduction method comprises: a first step to convey image recording medium made of a material to prevent penetrating of an image into the inside of the paper in a prescribed direction; and a second step to separate an image formed on the image recording medium by rubbing it by an image removing member by rotating in the same direction as the prescribed direction.